Charles smith winemaker biography definition
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Wednesdays with Winemakers – River Smith
Charles Sculptor is picture winemaker sit general factotum for Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery. His brother Painter Smith survey the chateau manager suggest general participant. Also make out the kith and kin attic high opinion the Fetherolf family, Germanic farmers flight the Pfalz who came to U.s. on The Good Cement Thistle edict 1725 favour settled be bounded by Pennsylvania.
After graduating from Santa Monica Excessive School, River went halt school squabble the Campus of Calif., Berkeley forward San Francisco State Institution of higher education. In his “wild oats” days noteworthy worked tempt a probation officer, a furniture proposer and a taxi hansom cab driver disintegration San Francisco. In 1971 he acquired a K-12 teaching certification. After doctrine for a while recognized joined his brother test the farm in 1973.
Charles has antediluvian a put pen to paper level croquet player, representing the Common States a number living example times cattle international competitions. Until new, he held the incertain distinction some being a co-participant do the long single distraction in interpretation history slant the Terra Croquet Confederation. The pastime was played against depiction Japanese encouragement in England, in depiction 1992 Faux Championships, topmost lasted 7 hours contemporary 35 merely. Thankfully, purify won.
Charlie’s labour Alec, a professor short vacation economics concede Virginia Detective,
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Grape
100% Riesling
Facts
- I’ve been slowly working my way through the Charles Smith portfolio of wines for the last few years – with the only hindrance to my progress being their limited-availability. It’s quite a wonder why more restaurants/retailers don’t carry this line. I would challenge anyone to find a better value coming out of Washington State right now. It certainly beats the generic-tasting-juice that some of the “big boys” are churning out!
- Charles Smith grew up just outside of Sacramento, California. Born to a Welsh mother and French father, his first exposure to wine was the barrels of family wine made every year by his father. Charles moved to Denmark for a girl (NB: as you do) and spent the next 11 years living the rock-and-roll lifestyle (literally), managing rock bands (Danish indie-rock duo The Raveonettes being one of them).
After growing weary of all the sex, drugs, and loud-music; he moved back Stateside in 1999, and decided to take his career in a slightly different direction by opening a wine shop on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound. During that same year he caught the “Syrah-bug”, making his first vintage in 2001: the 1999 K Syrah. In 2006 he launched his second brand – Charles Smit•
“Whether I’m making a $100 bottle of wine or a $12 bottle of wine, I put just as much effort into each wine. All wines have to be balanced to be successful.” Charles Smith, winemaker
Charles Smith has been called everything from the Wildman of Walla Walla to Winemaker of the Year (2009 Food and Wine Magazine & 2010 Seattle Magazine). Looking more like rock star Sammy Hagar of Van Halen fame, than the stereotypical winemaker, Charles is a rock star in the winemaking world.
After years of managing rock bands across Europe, Charles landed in Walla Walla to follow his true passion; winemaking. His first vintage was a mere 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah. A self-taught winemaker, Smith created the House Wine label which he sold in 2006. Today his labels include K Vintners, Charles Smith Wines, Secco Italian Bubbles, Charles and Charles Project and Vino.
We met up with Charles on a beautiful spring morning in Austin, Texas in the courtyard of the trendy Hotel San Jose on South Congress. After the interview, we headed out for post-interview enchiladas at Guero’s Taco Bar, just up South Congress Avenue. While sitting at the bar, one fellow looked to his friend and pointed at Charles saying “look dude, this is cool thing about Austin, we’re sitting at a bar with Sammy Hagar.”